Containers are often formed with tamper evident mechanisms which indicate to a consumer whether the closure has been removed and, as a result, whether the quality of the product inside the container has potentially been compromised (i.e. via contamination, moisture, oxygen, etc.). A common tamper evidence mechanism comprises a tear strip or a tear tab on the closure which is located so as to prevent or inhibit removal of the closure until such time as the tear strip/tab is removed. This poses the disadvantages, however, of (a) generating unnecessary waste elements that must be disposed of, (b) creating a potential choking or swallowing hazard if the removed strip/tab is not properly disposed of, and/or (c) potentially contaminating the container contents with a strip/tab that is prematurely separated, such as during the manufacturing, filling, or consumption processes.
The present inventors, through ingenuity and hard work, have developed a container and closure combination which provides tamper evidence without use of a tab or strip which is completely separated from the packaging structure, thereby avoiding the disadvantages set forth above. In certain embodiments, actuation of the tab additionally aids in removal of the closure from the container.